CITIZENSHIP  

Citizenship is the state of being a citizen. It also means the state of having rights and duties of a citizen.

A citizen is a legal member of a state or country.

The citizenship of Nigeria can be acquired through the following ways:

• Citizenship by birth
• Citizenship by registration or marriage
• Citizenship by naturalization

CITIZENSHIP BY BIRTH

The following people are citizens of Nigeria by birth

1. Every person born in Nigeria either of whose parents or any of whose grandparents are citizens of Nigeria.
2. Every person born outside Nigeria either of whose parents is a citizen of Nigeria.

CITIZENSHIP BY REGISTRATION OR MARRIAGE

A person can become a citizen of Nigeria through registration if he satisfies the following conditions:

1. he is a person of good character
2. he has shown a clear intension of his desire to live in Nigeria

• he has taken the Oath of Allegiance prescribed in the Constitution.

Citizenship by registration or marriage is applicable to the following people;

1. Any woman who is married to a citizen of Nigeria.
2. Every person of full age(18 years above) and capacity born outside Nigeria any of whose grandparents is a citizen of Nigeria.

CITIZENSHIP BY NATURALIZATION

An alien or a foreigner can become a citizen of Nigeria through naturalization if he satisfies the following conditions:

1. he is a person of good character
2. he has shown a clear intension of his desire to live in Nigeria

• he has taken the Oath of Allegiance prescribed in the Constitution

1. he is a person of full age and capacity
2. he is approved by the Governor of the state where he wishes to be resident and also accepted by the local community
3. he is a person who has made or is capable of making useful contribution to the growth and development of Nigeria

• if he has resided in Nigeria for a period of fifteen years (15 years).

WITHDRAWAL OF CITIZENSHIP

This simply means a situation whereby citizenship conferred on an individual particularly a foreigner is denied.

Withdrawal of citizenship can occur if:

1. there is dual citizenship
2. if the person is jailed for more than three years within seven years of given him the citizenship

• if the person’s behavior, action or speech is considered disloyal to the country

1. if the person act as a spy or assist the enemy of the country especially during the period of war or leaks the country secret to enemies of the country
2. if it is discovered that the person presented false or fake documents to acquire the citizenship.

DUAL CITIZENSHIP

A person shall forfeit his Nigerian citizenship if he is not a citizen of Nigeria by birth and acquires or retains the citizenship of another country of which he is not a citizen by birth.